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Over 100 people took part in a sponsored walk on April 7 in aid of Alwan Kindergarten in Syria. The 12km walk was organised by Aljezur International School and followed a fisherman’s trail along the Rota Vicentina. As well as students, teachers and friends of the school, there were also two donkeys from Burros e Artes and record-breaking bagpipe player Ross Jennings.

The Aljezur International School team has been in contact with the director of Alwan Kindergarten, Abdulkader (Abdo) Almurie, for over a year and has been raising money on a regular basis for the kindergarten. They are also in regular contact with American NGO Bridge of Peace, which has been supporting Abdo’s project since 2015.

The kindergarten is in Hass, Idlib province and, after recent heavy bombing and chemical attack, has been forced to close its doors temporarily. However, Abdo and his team of five teachers have now launched a risk education project which is saving children’s lives by educating them of the dangers of approaching remnants of war.

The target of the sponsored walk was to raise €2,000 in order that the risk education project can continue for the next three months. This target has been exceeded and Abdo and his team are delighted.

Sílvia Catarino of Aljezur International School was in touch with Abdo after the walk and told us: “This means so much to the Alwan team and they are eternally grateful, not just for the financial support but also for the fact that people so far away actually care about their children and want to help. We look forward to their reopening and will continue to support their projects in any way we can.”

The next fundraiser will be the annual “Play in the Parque” on Friday, July 7. Now in its 11th year, the community theatre show is performed at Parque de Merendas near Barão de São João. This year’s play is called “Lord of the Things” and will take the audience on a magical journey through Fantasyland, meeting some mythical characters you may recognise, as well as the usual sprinkling of fun and cabaret.